With the advent of portable navigation technology, GPS sensitive devices have begun to pop up in vehicles, pockets and even on the wrists of people all over the world. These devices can be as simple as providing GPS coordinates, or can access complex databases full of businesses, street names, parks, waterways and other relevant locations.
Typically, in a vehicle-context, the device will have at least a street database, which can be used to provide directions to a known address. In some cases, the database may also include business and local attraction names (parks, museums, etc.) allowing a user to look up and access information on how to travel to these specific locations.
As these devices have evolved, attempts have been made to improve on the initial direction-providing capability of the devices. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,542,814 discusses a computer implemented method and apparatus for providing a display of points of interest in conjunction with a vehicle navigation system. A vehicle navigation system is provided and includes a processor configured to identify and display a plurality of points of interest with reference to a vehicle's location, and to repeat the display to reflect changes in the vehicle's location. In another embodiment, the vehicle navigation system includes a processor configured so that the plurality of points of interest identified is within a radius of the current position when the current location is within a densely digitized area. When the vehicle is not within a densely digitized area, the plurality of points of interest lie ahead along the current road within a second distance.
Similarly, U.S. Patent Application 2010/0125406 discusses methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for providing point of interest navigation services. An apparatus may include a processor configured to receive a request for navigation instructions comprising an origin location and a destination location. The processor may be further configured to determine a route between the origin location and the destination location. The processor may additionally be configured to determine one or more points of interest along the route based at least in part upon prior usage data associated with each point of interest. The prior usage data may be received and aggregated from users of a navigation system. The processor may also be configured to provide navigation instructions comprising the one or more determined points of interest. Corresponding methods and computer program products are also provided.